Laundry drying rack



Dec. 5, 1950 E. H. PRAGER LAUNDRY DRYING RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Edward H. Pmger Filed March 10, 1949 Dec. 5, 1950 E. H. PRAGER 2,532,938

! LAUNDRY DRYING RACK Filed March 10, 1949 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFICE Edward H. Prager, Baltimore, Md.

Application'March 10, 1949, Serial No. 80,690

This invention relates tocollapsible clothesline racks.

An object of this invention is to provide a collapsible clothesline rack, which is adapted to be suspended from rafters or floor beams.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rack of this kind wherein the clothesline will be taut in either the extended or collapsed position of the rack.

- A further object of this invention is to provide an improved support for a rack of this kind so that the rack may be secured to rafters or beams which extend either lengthwise or transversely of the rack.

A further object of this invention is to provide a collapsible rack of this kind which when in collapsed position will be elevated to an out-ofthe-way position and locked in the collapsed position.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation partly broken away, of a clothesline rack constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detail end elevation of the device showing the device in collapsed position in dotted lines,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a detail side elevation of a modified form of locking means,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'I--I of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a plan view partly broken away, showing a modified form of support for the upper base bars,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-43 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IIlIIl of Figure 8,

Figure 11 is a detail side elevation of the modified form of attaching bar.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals I and II designate generally a pair of upper base bars formed of angle iron which are provided with a plurality of spaced openings I2, through which fastening devices I3 in the form of screws are 4 Claims. (Cl. 211104) adapted to engage for securing the base bars Ill and II to the lower edges of the floor joists or beams I4.

The device herein disclosed is adapted to be mounted in a basement or the like, being secured to the floor joists or beams so that the rack will be suspendingly supported from the beams. Pairs of elongated rope-supporting bars I5 are disposed one pair at each end of the rack, and the bars if: of each pair are pivotally mounted at the ends of an elongated tubular member I6 by means of fastening means ll extending through the bars or links I5 and threaded into the tubular member I6.

The upper ends of the bars or links I5 are pivotally connected to upper links I8, as indicated at I9, and the links I8 are pivotally connected to the vertica1 side 25 of an end base bar, as indicated at 32. by the vertical side 20 inwardly from the pivot I4 so as to limit the inward swinging of the links I8.

The bars or links I5 have pairs of openings 22 disposed therethrough and a clothesline or rope '23 is extended through pairs of the openings 22 and spans the space between the ends of the rack.

The rack also includes upper tubular bars 24 secured between the upper ends of the bars I5 and the links I8 by the pivot means I9. The two bars 2 land the lower bar I 6 form a V-shaped a; rack when the device is in its extended position and provide a means whereby the line 23 may be maintained taut between the end bars I5. At each end of the rack there is positioned a U-shaped member 25 which is secured to the apex formed by the bars I5, by the fastening members II. The parallel legs of the U-shaped member 25 extend horizontally outwardly from the bars i5 and a vertically disposed shaft 26 is journalled through the horizontal arms of the U-shaped member 25 and is provided at its upper end with a right angularly disposed locking member 27. The lower end of the shaft 26 is provided with a handle 28 so that the shaft 26 may be rotated to either a locked or released position with respect to the adjacent end bars I0 and II.

Each end bar I!) and II is provided substantially midway between the ends thereof with. a slot 29 through which the locking member 21 adapted to be extended so that the locking member 21 may be positioned when inlocked position on the upper side of the horizontal side 30 of the upper base angle member.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is disclosed a slightly modified form of locking means for the rack wherein the shaft 26a similar to the shaft Preferably stop pins 2I are carried 26, is provided with a locking member 21a similar to the locking member 21, but the handle or operator secured to the lower end of the shaft 26a is in the form of a ribbed wheel 3|. Where the base bars 30 are to be mounted in a parallel relation with respect to the joists or beams l4 and may be positioned between a pair of joists, the base bars l and Il may be secured to the joists by means of an elongated supporting bar 33 of a length sufjficient to span the spacebetween a pair of joists l4, and provided with a plurality of openings 34 through selected ones of which fastening means may be extended as will be hereinafter described. Preferably the supporting bar 33 which is formed with longitudinally extending marginal bracing flanges 35 is secured to a pair of joists [4 by means of a pair .ofangle brackets 36.

The vertical sides 31 of the brackets 3fi are secured by fastening means 38 to the adjacent faces ofthe joists l4 and the horizontal sides g a are formed with an elongated opening '40 through which a securing bolt 4| is extended. The bar 33 outwardly from the flanges 35 is formed with the openings 34 for receiving the securing bolts 4|, and the bar 33 between the ends of the flanges 35 is formed with transversely extending slots 42 through which securing bolts 43 are adapted to be extended for securing the upper horizontal sides 30 of the base bars lfland H to the cross bars 33.v

In the use and operation of this rack, when the rack is in collapsed position the rack in pushed upwardly by means of the handles 28, and the locking bolt 21 is positioned above the end bars I'O and H and rotated a half turn as indicated in Figure 4. When it is desired. to extend the rack for suspending clothes thereon, the handle 28 is rotated to release bolt 21 and the rack is then pulled downwardly to substantially the position shown in full lines in Figure 2. The clothes may then be placed on the horizontal lines 23.

With a rack as hereinbefore described, when therack is not in use it will be disposed in an elevated collapsed position out of the way. It will,, of course, be understood that there may be iasflmany lines 23 as may be desired and that the endbars or links [5 may be of suitable length so that the lines 23 will be in convenient position to mount the clothes thereon.

I do not meanto confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of. th appended claims. V 7 WhatI claim is:

LIMA clothesline rack comprising pairs of end bars pivotally connected together at their lower ends and formed with spaced openings, upper base bars adapted to .be secured to a supporting means, links pivotally connecting said base bars with theupper. ends of said end bars, upper spacer pars extending .between the upper, ends of said endbars, a lower spacer bar extendingbetween the lower ends of said end bars, said spacer bars being connected to said end bars, a clothesline extending through said openings and extending between said pairs of end bars, and means for collapsing the rack to an upper position orextending the rack to a lower operative position with said. pairs of end bars in downwardly convergent relation.

2. A clothesline rack comprising pairs of end bars pivotally connected together at their lower ends and formed with spaced openings, upper base bars adapted to be secured to a supporting means, links pivotally connecting said base bars with the upper ends of said end bars, upper spacer bars extending between the upper end of said end bars, a lower spacer bar extending between the lower ends of said end bars, said spacer bars being connected to said end'bars, a clothesline xtending through said openings and extending between said pairs of end bars, and means for collapsing the rack to an upper position or extending the rack to a lower operative position with said pairs of end bars in downwardly convergent relation, said latter named means including a releasable locking means for holding the device in upper collapsed position.

3. A clothesline rack comprising pairs of end bars pivotally connected together at their lower ends and formed with spaced openings, upper base bars adapted to be secured to a supporting means, linkspivotally connecting said base bars with the upper ends of said end bars, upper spacer bars extending between the upper ends of said end bars, a lower spacer bar extending between the lower ends of said end bars, said spacer bars being connected to said end bars, a clotheslineextending through said openings and extending; between said pairs of endbars, and means for collapsing the rack to an upper position or extending the rack to a lower operative position with said pairs ofv end bars. in downwardly convergent relation, said latter named means including a vertical shaft disposed at the lower ends of said end bars, and a right angularly disposed bolt carried by the upper end of said shaft engageable with said upper base bars.

4. A clothesline rack comprising pairs of end bars pivotally connected together at their lower ends and formed with spaced openings, upper base bars adapted to be secured to a supporting means, means attaching said upper base bars to a supporting means, links pivotally connecting said base bars with the upper ends of said end bars, upper spacer bars extending between the upper ends of said end bars, a lower spacer bar extending between the lower ends of said end bars, saidspacer bars being connected tosaid end bars, a clothesline extendingthrough said openings and extending between said pairs of end bars and means for collapsing the rack t an upper position or extendingthe rack to.a lower operative position with said pairs of end bars in downwardly convergent relation.

EnWARD H.. PR GER REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

